Government & School Board

Following a quick school board meeting Thursday, July 12, the Huntington County Community School Corporation held a public work session to provide an update regarding the new Roanoke Elementary School building.

Prior to the work session, the board approved a lease for the corporation’s alternative school at the Dyer property, located on Home Street east of the McDonald’s restaurant.

Board member Reed Christiansen was absent.

The rent will be $2,200 per month, which includes utilities and outdoor maintenance.

The Huntington County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), with the cooperation of Allen, Wells, Wabash and Whitley counties, has initiated the development of a Watershed Management Plan (WMP) for Phase 3 of the Upper Wabash River Watershed.

The motivation for the plan stems from known water-quality problems present throughout much of the Wabash River Basin. The watershed management plan is a continuation of past projects focused on distinguishing the most degraded areas of the watershed in greatest need of conservation efforts.

Huntington’s newest fire chief, Tony Johnson (third from left), celebrates after he was sworn in to his new post on Monday, July 9, in the Council Chamber at the City Building. Marking the occasion are (from left) Deputy Chief David Teusch, Lt. Duane Naab, who was also sworn in to his new position, Johnson and Mayor Brooks Fetters.

The Andrews Town Council held a public hearing regarding its pursuit of a grant to fund the construction of a stormwater system on McKeever Street prior to its regular meeting on Monday, July 9.

Mitch Hansel, senior project manager with civil engineering firm Fleis & VandenBrink, spoke about the scope of the project, noting that the proposed stormwater system would run from Leedy Lane to Main Street on McKeever Street.

The 10th annual Eel River Watershed public meeting and best management practices demonstration will be held Thursday, Aug. 2, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Steve Sickafoose Barn, 9710 S. Ind.-5, in South Whitley.

The Eel River Water Initiative and its conservation partners, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Manchester University and ACRES Land Trust, will talk about conservation efforts within the watershed. The public is invited to share their perspectives and concerns about the Eel River.

Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) has announced that a member of his staff will visit Huntington on Thursday, July 12, from 9:30 a.m. to noon to meet with local residents and assist Hoosiers experiencing problems with a federal agency.

The mobile office will be located at the Courthouse Annex, 1350 S. Jefferson St., Huntington.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that bridge maintenance is scheduled for Ind.-3 over Rock Creek in Huntington County.

Ind.-3 is expected to close on or after Monday, July 9, weather permitting.The closure, which will allow contractors to complete a bridge deck overlay, is scheduled to take place over Gordon Ditch, located between C.R.S500E and C.R.E200S. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained throughout the work.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that chip seal preservation is scheduled to begin in July. Work is scheduled for various roadways in Adams, Blackford, Grant, Huntington and Wells counties. INDOT maintenance crews are expected to begin on or after Monday, July 2, weather permitting.

Local roadways to be chip sealed include:

• U.S.-224 from Ind.-1 to just west of the Wells/Adams county line.

• Ind.-124 between Ind.-3 and Ind.-116 in Huntington and Wells counties.

A motion to approve the hiring of a new Spanish teacher at Huntington North High School brought a reaction from the Huntington County Teachers Association during the school board meeting Monday, June 25.

Teacher Tom Gross, co-president of the teachers union, told members of the Huntington County Community School Corporation board that teachers want more in their paychecks.

The Andrews Town Council discussed the need for a larger parking lot at Andrews Elementary School during its meeting on Monday, June 25.

Andrews resident Julie Newsome sparked the discussion, remarking that the school’s parking lot was too small to accommodate the crowds that show up for events such as concerts at the school. She also commented that the small lot caused congested traffic situations during the after-school student pick-up period.